Essential Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition and Supplements
Pre-workout nutrition is important to help you complete a workout of high intensity that is required to build muscle. Some of the scientifically proven effective supplements include; creatine and arginine.
The first 30min after a workout is the most important time to consume the proper nutritients for muscle growth. First of all, you will want to consume a liquid meal for rapid absorption and to help replenish water stores in the muscle. Within this time period it is good to consume a liquid meal with at least 40 grams of carbohydrates and 40 grams of protein. It is essential to have a complete protein (one that contains every amino acid) such as whey protein isolate, or egg whites. Have some fruits with the whey or egg whites. In additional to whey, glutamine is an amino acid that helps build and repair. Make sure you take this with your shake. Finally, try to drink around 1.5-2L of water over the two hours following exercise (remember that muscle is mainly water).
Daily protein consumption should include protein from sources such as: eggs, whey, chicken, turkey, steak, salmon, nuts, and seeds. As a general rule, try to consume approximately grams equaling 1.3 to 1.5 times your body weight in pounds. For example, a 200lb person trying to build muscle would consume 260-300 grams of protein per day.
